The Group Stage of the 2017 Mid Season Invitational will be kicking off soon, and the best of the best are ready to show their skills to fans around the globe. This is their chance to prove themselves on the international stage. SKT T1 is obviously a solid favorite expected to win at the MSI, but they are not the only one.

The group stages are in the form of single rounds, which means one mistake can lead to a decisive defeat and no one can guess who will win. Unexpected things will always happen, and SKT T1 must fight against the unexpected to assure their victory. How will the matches go between SKT T1, LMS Flash Wolves (who have previously triumphed against SKT T1), and G2 (the ultimate dark horse from EU LSC)? Who will be the one to stand victorious in the end?

SKT T1, the all-time favorite

SKT T1 is celebrating their victories not only in Korean tournaments but also in international tournaments. This is a chance for SKT T1 to write a new record as well as erase their previous losses. It almost seems natural for SKT T1 to win.

However, their journey towards victory is not always a casual walk in the park. SKT T1 is always ready for something new. All they need is time. While some people may believe certain champions are the strongest in the current meta, SKT T1 prepared a surprise strategy with off-meta champions like Mid Fizz, Karma, and Lulu, and ADC Twitch. SKT T1 is always ready to try out something new for the sake of victory.

So what does SKT T1 need in order to try out their prepared arsenal? They must be prepared for any possible surprise strategies. SKT T1’s strategies have perfectly worked for them in multiple-round matches, but might not work the same way for a single-round match. They actually lost against Flash Wolves and RNG in the 2016 MSI, so they absolutely need to prepare themselves for any unexpected picks or plays.

If they can deal with that, SKT T1 will be unstoppable. They get stronger as the league progresses, so they can surely aim for a higher place if they win the first match. SKT T1 has made it to the MSI by winning first place in LCK. This team will once again aim for first place, so that they may claim another great victory for this year.

Flash Wolves, the ones who defeated the undefeatable.

There is a team that threatens SKT T1’s victory, and that team is none other than the Flash Wolves. The Flash Wolves defeated SKT T1 in last year’s MSI Group Stage, earning them remembrance as the ones who defeated the undefeatable. The Flash Wolves won against SKT T1 with aggressive gameplay and sharp attacks, and there was no way for SKT T1 to turn the game around. They have proven that they can win against anyone.

The Flash Wolves showed their aggressive gameplay against other teams this year as well. They are the team who defeated SuperMassive eSports in a 3-0 clean sweep and moved on to the next stage.

Furthermore, the Flash Wolves now have a strong ADC, which has been their weakness for a long time. With Betty, the team’s newly recruited ADC, the Flash Wolves have taken care of their main weakness. Karsa, the Jungler, is one who can excel in every lane, and Maple, the Mid laner, can carry the team with a KDA record of 12/0/7. They will surely carry the team in this year’s MSI too. All other laners have showed amazing gameplay, and fans are excited to see the hype they will bring out this year.

G2, the ultimate dark horse from Europe

G2 has claimed the throne in Europe after winning the championship in EU LCS. However, things have not gone so smooth for them in international tournaments. Their journey toward victory had to stop in the group stages last year while another European team, H2K, made it to the semifinals. They had lost against the Flash Wolves in the IEM Championship, and had to go back home without any cups.

But the chance to prove themselves has come. They won against the best teams in Europe, such as Fnatic, Origen, and H2K, and moved on to the MSI. This is the chance for G2 to prove Europe’s power in international tournaments.

Trick, the Jungler, will lead the team as the team’s primary DPS, while Perkz and Expect will be there to assist him. One thing they should worry about is that Perkz’s game performance can be unstable. He’s surely the one who can carry the game, but he has shown one or two questionable movements, from time to time. If Perkz can play as well as he does always, G2 can set their MSI goal very high. Will G2 go beyond the victory in EU LCS? We will soon find out how they’ll do in the MSI this year.